CALVERLEY C.E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reviewed Autumn 2023

Policy for Anti-Bullying

Definition

Bullying can be described as being ‘a deliberate act done to cause distress solely in order to give a feeling of power, status or other gratification to the bully.’  Bullying can range from ostracising, name calling, teasing, threats and extortion, through to physical intimidation, assault on persons and/or their property.  It can be an unresolved single frightening incident, or a series of such incidents.’

Staff, parents and children at Calverley C E Primary School work together, to create a happy, caring and safe learning environment.  Bullying, whether verbal, physical or indirect, is not tolerated.  It is everyone’s responsibility to try to prevent occurrences of bullying and to deal with any incidents quickly and effectively.

Aims

  • To provide a safe, caring environment for the whole school community, especially the children in our care.
  • To make sure children understand that bullying is unacceptable and that reports of bullying will be taken seriously, recorded and acted upon.
  • To reassure children that they will be listened to and will know that it is all right to tell.
  • To heed parents and keep them informed of actions taken in response to a complaint.
  • A full investigation will follow any report of bullying with detailed records kept of incidents, reports and complaints.
  • To take appropriate action, including exclusion in cases of very severe bullying.
  • To monitor incidents of bullying during the school year

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying can be defined as ‘the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), particularly mobile phones and the internet, deliberately to upset someone else’. Cyberbullying is a 'method' of bullying. It can be used to carry out all the different 'types' of bullying (such as racist bullying, homophobic bullying, or bullying related to SEN and disabilities), but instead of the perpetrator carrying out the bullying in person, they use technology as a means of conducting the bullying. Cyberbullying can include a wide range of unacceptable behaviours, including harassment, threats and insults, and like face-to-face bullying, cyberbullying is designed to cause distress and harm. Cyberbullying can take place between children, between adults, but also across different age groups. Young people can target staff members or other adults through cyberbullying; there are examples of school staff being ridiculed, threatened and otherwise abused online. (Department for Children, Schools and Families - Cyberbullying).

Pupils who are being bullied may show changes in behaviour, such as becoming shy and nervous, feigning illness, taking unusual absences or clinging to adults. There may be evidence of changes in work patterns, lacking concentration or truanting from school. Schools' teaching and ancillary staff must be alert to the signs of bullying and act promptly and firmly against it in accordance with school policy.  

Strategy for Dealing with Bullying

In dealing with bullying, staff at Calverley CE Primary School follows these fundamental guidelines.

  • Never ignore suspected bullying.
  • Do not make premature assumptions
  • Listen carefully to all accounts – several pupils with the same version does not mean they are telling the truth.
  • Adopt a problem-solving approach that moves pupils forward from self-justification.
  • Follow up proven cases to check bullying has not returned.
  • Keep detailed records.

Strategies have been introduced at Calverley CE Primary School to reduce bullying.  These strategies cover raising awareness about bullying and the Anti-bullying Policy, increased understanding for victims, and teaching pupils how to manage relationships in a constructive way.  The school also uses the https://www.girlsonboard.co.uk/ approach to help girls in particular manage relationship conflict.

Calverley CE Primary school inform children about the importance of keeping safe online and how bullying can occur both in person and through using an online device (Cyberbullying).

The whole school follow the ‘You, me, PHSE’ scheme to teach children about bullying (including Cyberbullying). In addition to this, the school takes part in specialist theme weeks such as anti-bullying week and online safety week to reinforce our stance on bullying and to celebrate our uniqueness and diversity.

Staff should apply one or more of the strategies below, depending on the perceived seriousness of the situation.  The emphasis should always be one of showing a caring and listening approach.

In response to a complaint of bullying, the discipline procedures of Calverley CE Primary School should be followed, with staff making a full investigation, keeping detailed records and applying sanctions as necessary.

The procedures should be followed by the Headteacher or a member of the Senior Management Team.

  1. Discuss the nature of the bullying with the ‘victim’ at length, recording all the facts.  This will require patience and understanding.
  2. Identify the bully/bullies and any witnesses.
  3. Interview witnesses.
  4. Discuss the incident(s) with the alleged bully/ies.  Confront them with the allegations and ask them to tell the truth about the situation/incident.  Make it clear that this is only an investigation at this stage.
  5. If the bully owns up, make it understood that bullying is not acceptable at Calverley CE Primary School and what effect it has on the education of the victim and the rest of the children in the class/school.  Apply sanctions relevant to the type of bullying.
  6. If the allegation of bullying is denied, investigate further.  If there is sufficient evidence that the bullying occurred, apply relevant sanctions.
  7. Hold separate discussions with parents of bully and victim.

8.   Provide a Pastoral Support Programme for the victim with a mentor/named person monitoring and observing at break times and lunchtimes, and through discussion to make sure there is no repetition.

9.   Provide a Pastoral Support Programme for the bully.  This will include a Behaviour Support Programme and opportunities in circle time or groups for the child/ren to discuss relationships, feelings and the effect bullying can have on individuals.  A mentor/named person will support the child during this programme.

Sanctions for the bully include:

    • withdrawal from favoured activities
    • loss of break-times for a period
    • barred from school during lunchtimes for a period
    • a period of internal exclusion during the school day

In extremely serious cases where actual assault has occurred a fixed period of exclusion from school may be applied.

Bullying Directed Towards Race, Gender, Sexual Orientation of Disability

Calverley CE Primary will not tolerate bullying against anyone because of his or her race, gender, sexual orientation or disability.  The school will take preventative action to reduce the likelihood of bullying incidents of this nature occurring.  Stereotypical views are challenged and pupils learn to appreciate and view positively differences in others, whether arising from race, gender, ability or disability.

Racial Bullying/Harassment

Racial bullying will not be tolerated in Calverley CE Primary School and will be treated severely.  If a child receives verbal abuse, physical threats or attacks, or if a pupil brings racist literature into school, incites other to behave in a racist way or writes racist insults, the strategies in the Policy for Education for Ethnic Diversity will be implemented.

A full investigation will be carried out, recording incidents in a separate incident book and on LEA forms.  Calverley CE Primary School has a duty to develop children’s understanding of ethnic diversity issues and explore racial tolerance in PSHE and Citizenship lessons and in Religious Education lessons.

Calverley CE Primary School guarantees confidentiality and support for those being bullied.  Racial incidents are reported to the Governing Body and LEA as required.

Sexual Bullying

Sexual bullying has an impact on both genders.  A sexual assault will lead to the exclusion of the perpetrator from Calverley CE Primary School. Sexual bullying is characterised by abusive name calling, comments about appearance, attractiveness and emerging puberty, inappropriate and uninvited touching, sexual innuendoes and propositions (i.e. sexual harassment), and, in its extreme form, sexual assault or rape.

Calverley CE Primary School’s strategies to deal with sexual bullying include:

  • Recording incidents in a separate incident book
  • Developing understanding of gender relations
  • Exploring sexism and sexual bullying in PSHE lessons
  • Using single-sex groups to discuss sensitive issues
  • Ensuring the school site is well supervised, especially in areas where children might be vulnerable.
  • Implementing appropriate discipline procedures as appropriate.

Sexual Orientation

Sexual bullying can also be related to sexual orientation.  Children do not have to be homosexual or bi-sexual to experience such bullying.

Strategies to deal with such bullying include:

  • Recording incidents in a separate incident book
  • Awareness by staff that homophobic bullying can occur
  • Challenging homophobic language and explore pupils’ understanding – they might not understand the impact
  • Guaranteeing confidentiality and support for those being bullied
  • Implement discipline procedures if the bullying warrants it.

Special Education Needs or Disabilities

Pupils with special educational needs or disabilities might not be able to articulate experiences as fluently as other children.  However, they are often at greater risk of being bullied, both directly and indirectly, and usually about their specific disability. At Calverley  CE Primary School the staff of school are aware of this.  We try to make classroom activities and lessons sensitive to such children’s needs.  We teach assertiveness and other social skills and teach victims to say ‘No’ or to get help.  A named mentor/friend is appointed for the pupil to confide in.

High attainers, gifted or talented pupils can also be affected by bullying and   teachers should treat this as seriously as any other type of bullying.

Staff will use the following criteria to help them discern whether or not bullying is taking place

Conflict vs Bullying

Further information

Useful Documents and Resources

CSIE                                       Index for Inclusion 2000:

                                                Developing Learning and Participation in Schools

CRE                                       Learning for All – Standards for Racial Equality in

2000                                       Schools

DfE                                         The Use of Force to Control or Restrain Pupils (Circular 10/98)

DfE/Home Office                  Social Inclusion: Pupil Support 10/99

DfE/Home Office                  School Security: Dealing with Troublemakers 1997

Ofsted                                    Raising the Attainment of Minority Ethnic Pupils 1999

Scottish Council for             Second SCRE Anti-bullying Pack 1993

Education Research

The Stationery Office          Bullying – Don’t Suffer in Silence (Circular 0064/2000)

                                                An Anti-bullying Pack for Schools

The Stationery Office          Discipline in schools: Report of the Committee of

                                                Enquiry Chaired by Lord Elton 1989 (Reprinted 1997)